GSoC New rendering system

GSoC idea: New Rendering System

Why

Spring rendering engine includes many fixed function pipeline OpenGL functions. This rendering system is becoming deprecated and is generally slower and less flexible than more modern approaches.

What

Under this proposal, the rendering code should get a complete overhaul using modern graphic programming techniques such as shaders, implement load support for more standardised model formats (backwards compatibility with current available formats is mandatory either through direct load or automatic conversion to the new types) and eventually introduce some graphic enhancing features (bump mapping, normal mapping, multitexturing, etc.).

Required skills

• Knowledge of C++
• Knowledge of OpenGL 2.0 API
• Knowledge of GLSL

Difficulty

Estimated: medium

Technical details

• Refactor C++ code and classes
• Create new GLSL shaders and integrate some from Lua scripts
• Add threading to renderer
• Remove all direct OpenGL calls from synced (sim) code.
• Push more work onto GPU and use DMA transfers (VBOs) while retaining OpenGL 1.4 code path for intel chipsets
• Reduce/refactor the amount of code paths used for rendering different world objects and model types.
• Use more class overriding for new rendering code (instead of branching)
• OpenGL ES 2.0 compatibility should be aimed at where possible.